


Battle Preparations

by alchemicalTyphoon



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: AFAB Apprentice (The Arcana), Angst and Fluff and Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Forehead Kisses, Forehead Touching, Gender-Neutral Apprentice (The Arcana), Nonbinary Character, Other, POV First Person, Porn, Porn with Feelings, Size Difference, Smut, Unnamed Apprentice (The Arcana)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:48:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26597833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alchemicalTyphoon/pseuds/alchemicalTyphoon
Summary: Sometimes, words are needed to express oneself. Sometimes, silence says it all. Then there are times, when the best way to conveyeverythingis through action. And Muriel and the apprentice? They go throughallof them.Inspired by the Chapter XIX fade-to-black scene in Muriel's route.
Relationships: Apprentice/Muriel (The Arcana)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 90





	Battle Preparations

**Author's Note:**

> Yes hi hello! It's straight up Muriel and the apprentice doing the do after that one Chapter XIX fade-to-black scene (don't lie and tell me you don't know which one I'm talking about!!!) y'all were yelling about on tumblr. There is some angsting, but it's mostly fluff and smut, so enjoy!!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

His hands are hot on my hips and sides. I can feel it even through my clothes. He moves his upper body closer to me, his strong thighs shifting beneath me. Muriel's expression is soft as he bites his lips, his eyes smiling shyly at me. It's hard not to answer him back with a small smile of my own, and as if that's his cue, he scrapes his throat quietly.

"I'd like to undress you."

He talks in a hush, but in the dimly lit tent, the darkness amplifies his voice. I see him wince a little, and he sounds a little quieter as he continues.

"And I'd like to do more tonight..."

My face grows hot, the heat travelling down my body. Muriel inhales a touch sharper, as if he can feel me burning too. His hands carefully retreats, but I stop him.

Holding onto his hands with mine, I place them back where they were, but slide them under my shirt. His hands really are burning now, but so am I, once he moves me up his lap, and I bump into something hard... and long.

We both freeze for a moment, which he uses to gather his wits. "We don't have to-"

I cut him off by slowly grinding against him. His breathing comes out in a shudder, along with one word: "Unfair". I breathe out a silent chuckle, even if my face continues to heat up as I feel him grow harder beneath me.

The tables are turned on me once I feel his thumbs bump over my nipples. He breathes out a silent laugh, but quickly concentrates on my reactions. I close my eyes as he caresses my body, his callused thumbs drawing circles around my hard nipples. He leans forward, his warm exhales hanging on my neck.

I feel a series of light tugs at my shirt, and suddenly it feels looser. My eyes crack open, and I can just about see Muriel with a piece of cord between his lips. Our eyes meet and the beginning of a smile tugs at the corners of his lips. He let's go of it and leans my way, only breaking eye contact because I close my eyes when he kisses me. 

His lips are a little chapped and rough, and his scruff tickles me, but his kisses are gentle and sweet as they move down my throat and to the back of my neck. I feel his hands move up, and my shirt slips off my shoulders. He leans closer, his hands leaving a void on my skin that's replaced with a skin-on-skin embrace while he buries his face in my neck. The noise he makes as he embraces me tighter I can only describe as a satisfied huff.

He does something with his hands behind my back, and it's a moment before I realise he's carefully folding my shirt. It's impossible to keep from smiling at his thoughtfulness, and I plant a soft kiss where my lips can touch him. He moves his face up, laughing in silence and dipping me back a little so he can put my shirt with his things, before straightening up.

There is a curious expression on his face when we pull apart. I create some space for him to speak his mind, and he does so by reaching for me and cupping my face with one hand. Without a second thought I turn and lean into his touch as I close my eyes. His thumb strokes my cheek and I sense through his touch how his breath pauses briefly when I press a kiss in his palm.

We stay like this for a few slow breaths, appreciating this little liminal moment, before we're both ready to continue. Muriel's touch lingers in the form of residual heat on my cheek, staying with me as he sits me up. I lean on my raised knee, watching as he carefully unlaces my boots.

Long fingers deftly undo my knots, loosening my boots. There is a tenderness in how he takes it off and puts it out of the way neatly. I feel him massage my calf and ankle, and he looks up to smile when he hears my grateful sigh, before moving to the next boot. His large hands, callused and scarred as they are, don't exactly conjure a gentle image of what they're capable of. Yet I've never seen him raise a hand that wasn't to help someone in need.

Something that's always drawn my attention is how much caution he puts in his motions, to not be seen as threatening, to not disturb his surroundings. I always thought he did this to basically disappear, but in the months we've spend together I've realised it's nothing of the sort. Each action of his is laced with respect. If people would slow down and look beyond what they see at first glance, it's easy to figure out.

He's cautious when he moves because he's large and his strength can knock over and destroy things he doesn't mean to. He doesn't want to appear threatening because it might invite violence and he's a pacifist. He doesn't disturb the surroundings so small creatures can continue using their trails. Muriel knows better than anyone else how strong he is; the fact that he actively chooses to practice restraint speaks loudly of his gentle nature.

When he initially asked to be forgotten, the experience of being forced to harm others was still fresh on his mind and the minds of others. Not everyone can or wants to live with that kind of infamy and someone as private as Murie would want that infamy gone. But I still remember the pained look of loneliness he gave me when I woke up in his hut, and didn't remember who he was. And the slight huff of relief when I remembered him again. And I remember the tension he held every time we met after being separated. I took it for annoyance, but really it was just him bracing himself in case I'd forgotten him again.

I won't ever forget the day I'd almost lost the little pouch of myrrh as we ran back to Vesuvia. The look of panic and devastation in his eyes when he put it back in my hands, curling my fingers around it... That's probably when he realised the true cost of his bargain.

Nobody really wants to be forgotten.

Not even someone who bargained for it.

Pleasant goosebumps from his fingertips stroking the back of my hand ground my thoughts back to the present, to him. He shifts his weight, coming closer to me, and I wrinkle my nose to his quiet laughter when he gently taps the tip. Before he can retreat his hand, I manage to trap his index between my own fingers and kiss the top of the middle joint. His laughter turns bashful as I let go.

There is a pause, where he inhales. He shifts his weight once more, and when he comes closer this time, it's to capture my lips with his own. His slow advance nudges me off my knee, upright, and with his strong arm easily supporting my weight, on my back.

Although this wasn't the most vigorous activity, we're both breathing a little harder than usual after our lips part. Muriel takes this moment to slide his hand out from underneath me, and after brushing some stray strands of hair out of my face, places it on my chest. He hovers over me briefly, before his hand trails down my body and he descends to leave tender, light kisses where his hand was first.

The trailing over my skin stops and his hand meets fabric; we're down to our pants. He rises, and I give him space to take off the last pieces of clothes, lifting my hips so he can remove both it and my underwear. And laying bare on my back, on the furs, I realise I'm a little more self-conscious than I expected to be. He's seen me nude before, but I still can't help pushing my legs together a little to cover myself and the wetness I feel between them.

Muriel closes his eyes and I can tell he's trying not to laugh as he searches for me blindly. His fingertips find me by my elbows and he pulls me to him before leaning back on the furs. He pulls me further up his body and I'm pretty sure he can feel how aroused I am as he shimmies out of his own clothes with me on top of him. His heart beats faster than I'm used to and I'm glad I'm not alone in finding this a little exciting as he pulls me in for a kiss.

His fingers are light across my back, trailing down my body. Muriel takes his time, touching me carefully, coaxing me into spreading my legs for him. He shifts me down his body, until I feel his hard shaft touch me. His motions still, and he waits.

When I stay where I am, he relaxes, his finger slipping inside me. A soft moan escapes me and he slips it further into me before pulling out a little. He repeats this a few times, each subsequent movement sounding wetter than the previous one. My breath stills and I clench around his finger when it touches a particularly nice spot.

Muriel is a quick study, and soon his touch has me squirming and moaning on top of him. He repeatedly touches the place that makes me feel good, eventually slipping a different finger inside me that stays there, rubbing the right place in circles. And then I feel wet fingers part my folds from below, sliding around my clit.

I might have made a very embarrassing cry at that moment, followed by more and similar cries as he experiments with his touches. He builds a heat inside me, and I can't, don't want to escape the pressure. I have to press myself into his chest to muffle my moans and cries of pleasure. My reactions make him bold, and he moves faster. He keeps it up until the pressure is at its limit, and I shudder with my release.

He doesn't stop though, continuing to touch me, building more pressure. I can feel his eyes on me as he makes me come for him a second time, before he pulls away. As I catch my breath, he strokes himself with my slick coating his hand, before nudging my legs close and thrusting between them. He groans quietly when I flex my thighs and add pressure on his member.

Eventually he stills, pulling into a seated position with me straddling his lap and continuing to slick his cock as the shaft presses against my entrance. He moves around, carefully placing me down. His member rests between my legs, and as he hunches over me for a series of kisses, I reach out, lightly touching him.

He pauses to moan, pressing his head next to mine. My face heats up as my touch reveals just how large he is, but I remind myself that if a baby's head fits, then Muriel should fit too. I line him up to my entrance as he lifts himself. His forehead rests on mine, his eyes asking me for my final permission. I lean up for a quick kiss and nod.

So slow. So gentle. And he's just so _big_. Every time I think I'm at my limit, that he couldn't possibly fit any more in me, he manages to slip in a little further. I'm left moaning quietly, small cries and gasps coming from my lips every time he thrusts into me.

As he enters me deeper, my hips are going up, away from the furs and up his thighs. Suddenly, my upper body is lifted up, and I can almost look Muriel in his pretty green eyes. He slides all the way into me, and I close my eyes, a breathy moan of pleasure making its way out of me. The only way I could even begin to describe is that I feel very, _very_ , filled, and that it feels incredible.

I'm being kissed, quite chaste, on my lips. My eyes flutter open. When he pulls back, I reach out to him, cupping his face. I lift myself to kiss him, and I tentatively slip my tongue in his mouth. He makes a surprised noise, but leans into the kiss, and I grow bolder. When I retreat my tongue, Muriel's chases after it, and it's my turn to be surprised. His arms tighten around my back and he pulls me towards him.

When we break for air, I make the mistake of dropping down at normal speed... Right on his cock. I don't catch myself on time, and feel myself sink on him, knocking my breath out. But... It felt _incredible_. And I do it again; lifting myself slowly up, noting with amazement how much of his cock was buried inside me, and then having his entire length disappear slowly in me as I move down. I sigh quietly, my eyes unfocusing as I rest myself flush on top of him.

Muriel isn't faring much different, moaning in step with me. He recovers first, looking at me in a slight daze, and stroking my cheek with the back of his hand, whispering my name. When I don't react, he whispers my name again. I blink slowly as I put my hand on his. His movements pauses, and he gives me a smile, broad and shy.

"I didn't... You're not in pain?", he asks quietly. I shake my head, closing my eyes for a moment, and moving his hand to the side of my face so I can lean into it.

"You feel good, Muriel", I sigh.

I open my eyes and look at him, my smile shy, but eager. He smiles back, equally shy and eager. I'm laid back on the soft furs. Muriel rolls his hips slowly, listening and feeling for my feedback, until we get a steady rhythm going, and our tent falls quiet, save for the juicy noises we create with our movements, and our moans, muffled into each other's heated skin.

Despite our languid pace and Muriel's self-control, we eventually reach a peak. He grunts near my ear, holding me tighter as he quickens his pace. That's all I needed; my hands grasp at him, and I bury my face against him to remain quiet. I don't think I was very successful at it, but neither is Muriel. His moan isn't particularly loud, but it lasts for as long as he spills inside me.

We lay there, catching our breath. His frame on top of mine is comforting, and as I run my fingers through his hair, he hums a few notes of a song. It sounds vaguely familiar, but he stops before I can fully place it. He stirs once his breathing returns to normal, and presses his lips against my skin multiple times before rising up. His cock, spent, leaves my body and I feel a little sad at the emptiness he left behind, but the seed dripping out of me and clinging to my skin makes me strangely happy. 

Through lidded eyes I watch his silhouette silently lumber around against the soft glow of low campfires illuminating our tent. My eyes close, and I listen to the soft, melodic sounds of droplets hitting water. In my drowsy state, I feel Muriel place his hand under my knee, lifting and bending it. With a warm, damp cloth, he gently wipes my sticky inner thighs down, his hot breaths ghosting over my sensitive skin.

My hand drifts down, finding his hair. I intend to give it a light tug to spur him to sleep with me in his arms, but the strands merely slip through my fingers. He chuckles as he kisses slowly down my stomach, stopping just below my hips. I can feel him watch me, and despite being content to fall asleep, curiosity has me open my eyes to find out what he wants.

He's tired too; it takes him a little longer than usual to react to me and it's only because I'm smiling at him that his expression changes. Averting his gaze, he grins back sheepishly, and I can feel his cheek getting warmer against my thigh. My hands go back to his head, carding through his hair and stroking his burning cheek.

"Was there something you wanted? You know you only have to ask", I tell him with a sleepy smile, my vision slowly blinking into darkness. He lightly kisses the pad of my thumb, leaning into my touch.

"I want to hear them again."

My face heats up as he continues.

"The sounds you make when you come. They make me happy. It's proof you let me love you."

The campfires aren't as strong as they were; it's too dark to see what's going on between my legs, but Muriel's lips are leaving butterfly kisses fluttering just above my slit. I answer with a breathless 'okay'.

Even in the dark I can tell he's smiling, but soon my attention is on my own body again when he licks my clit. My surprised gasp turns into a quiet moan as he sucks on it. I'm trying not to squirm too much, but it's hard when what he's doing feels so nice. And it becomes even harder once he slips first one, then another finger inside me to tease me from inside.

"... M-muriel..."

With a soft cry for him, Muriel makes me come, although my body doesn't let up as he continues for a little longer.

For a little while, the only sounds in the dark are of my own breathing and of the open-mouthed kisses trailing slowly up to me. By the time my breathing quiets down, he's reached my lips. His kiss tastes different, and as my thoughts sluggishly concludes it's because I also taste myself, Muriel smiles against my neck, my heartbeat pulsing beneath his lips. He inhales deeply, and sighs with contentedness when I embrace him, my hands stroking his head unhurried, following the rhythm of his slow, even breathing.

We bask in this simple closeness, but I notice Muriel is quietly fidgeting with the tips of my hair, while adjusting his legs. It's not long until I feel something familiar brush briefly against my inner thighs. I rub my index finger over the tip of his ear in a playful manner, and let out a soft giggle when he wiggles it back and forth. I turn my head, pressing a kiss to what's probably his temple.

"You're not ready for sleep yet, are you?", I tease, giving his ear a soft tweak.

He's bolder than I expected, pressing himself against me.

"I want you... again...", he says in a murmur.

lt's a simple admittance, the same way Muriel says other simple things. But there is a questioning silence at the end, and I recognise it as an invitation. I wasn't quite ready to sleep either.

Even my breathing sounds a little shy when I adjust myself so he can enter me a little easier. I'm a little surprised when he unhooks my arms and one leg, before turning me on my stomach. I lay my head sideways so I can see him, but all I see is a Muriel-shaped silhouette, before I close my eyes and enjoy the attention of him kissing my spine. My fingers grasp at the soft fur I'm lying on as we adjust our bodies, him between my legs. I let out a small gasp of surprise when he rubs the tip of his cock along my slit from this position, and I press myself against the soft fur beneath me to muffle myself. Muriel exhales a quiet moan when I clench around him during his slow entry. He eventually comes fully flush against me.

"Comfortable?"

I don't think he can see me nod, so I also hum a 'yes'. He grunts; it's a happy one that I feel pressed against the side of my head. It turns sensual as he pulls out and smoothly slips back into me. Muriel breathes heavy, and his hands caress and roam my sides, sliding under my body. One rather quickly finds its way to my clit, causing a strangled cry of surprise, and pleasure as soon as he plays with it. At the same time, I clench around him, and I feel him speed up in response. The sounds coming from between our legs become wetter, juicier.

"... Muriel... you... feel so good...", I barely manage to say. "... Deeper... please..."

He grunts in acknowledgement, slowing down just as I'm about to come. I'm a bit dazed as he adjust his position, pushing my legs together as he straddles me. He pulls out, mouthing and kissing a little ways down between my shoulder blades. We're just barely connected when he thrusts, slipping in further and deeper than I could imagine.

Although he's careful to lean most of his weight on his own arms, I feel his frame slowly envelop my upper body. He presses me down, making it impossible to do more than breathe and _feel_. Lying in Muriel's hold as his cock easily and repeatedly fills me is a blissful experience I never knew I wanted, and I'm thankful I'm on my stomach as he picks up his speed; the fur we're laying on muffles most of my moans.

_Most.  
_

I'm quite sure some of them are louder than I want them to be, but I can't help it. He very quickly makes me come, first from his cock hitting the right spot, and before that one subsides, I come again, from his fingers. I feel how large he is with every ecstatic spasm of my body.

It doesn't leave him unaffected; as I involuntarily clench around him, his thrusts turns shallower and faster. Until he grunts, holding me tight enough to lift me off the fur, his entire length inside me. He stills for a moment, just as a spasm travels through my body and makes me squeeze his cock. Muriel groans in pleasure against the back of my head, and it doesn't take a lot of thinking to realise what the rivulets dripping down my stomach from between my legs are. Especially when more join once he comes to his senses and pumps slowly into me a few more times before pulling out.

He lifts me into his lap as he sits himself properly, cuddling me as he does. His kisses are tenderly fluttering up and down my neck as we come down from that high. I can see a little of the mess that reaches my chest thanks to the dim light reflecting off the wet surface, and I try to keep what didn't spill on my body inside me so it doesn't make the furs all sticky.

"... Did I...? ... Hurt you?...", he suddenly asks.

His voice is so small, so unsure of himself.

"N-no? What gave you that idea?"

I turn my upper body a little so I can look at him, and he looks so worried, I reach up to touch and stroke his cheek. He almost immediately leans into the touch.

"You are tense. Like a hurt creature", he says quietly.

It takes a few puzzling moments for me to figure out what he's referring to, but my face starts to burn once it dawns on me.

"Nonono! It's not-! I'm not-! ..." My cheeks grow hotter by the second. "It's-it's uhm!... When you-! And, inside me-! And, furs! Sticky-!"

Muriel needs a moment to process my words.

" _Oh_..."

An embarrassed silence follows as he hugs me to him. There is some awkward fumbling as I try to avoid dripping on the furs and Muriel tries to avoid touching anything hard to clean, but I manage to lay down on my back.

"... Sorry. For the mess. I'll clean that up...", he says in an apologetic mumble, tinged with a hint of... _something_... as I feel his gaze in the dark.

The answer doesn't dawn on me until he's back, holding another damp piece of cloth, and just... _looks_ at my messy state. 

_Smug.  
_

And for some unfathomable reason, Muriel being smug about making a mess was simply adorable.

My inner musings are interrupted by Muriel hunching over me, and lightly bumping his forehead with mine before brushing his lips across mine. His chuckles when I steal a small kiss from him sound sweet and demure, in complete contrast with his previous expression. But if getting to know and fall in love with Muriel taught me anything, it's that people are infinitely more complex than they seem at first glance, and one person can contain multitudes of different states. And I feel happy that Muriel feels comfortable enough with me to share many aspects of himself that he keeps private from others.

With a gentle, tender touch Muriel takes care of our mess, switching it for a mess of reverent kisses instead, and making a mess of my feelings in the process. He's more careful when he reaches between my legs, for which I'm grateful; I'm a little sore. Even though Muriel was gentle, he's still, well, _large_...

As I'm still musing over his size, he lifts me back up on my knees with ease. I'm a little confused to the why, until he slips a finger back inside me, and I feel something warm and wet drip out of me. There's a soft but sharp intake of breath, and the second, then third finger rubbing me inside and out tells me I'm not the only one thinking indecent thoughts. But he doesn't go further than teasing, backing off once most of it has been massaged out; we both know there's something more important at stake than a night of pleasure.

With wistful reluctance in his lingering touch, and a sigh more felt than heard, he moves, getting up to presumably take care of himself. As he rinses the cloth, I watch, before rising too, and putting the lessons he taught me on moving in silence to practice. Still, despite learning from the best, I know he's aware of my approaching presence when he makes some room for me. He tilts his head in my direction, making me giggle under my breath when he leans down and plants a kiss on my forehead. Before he's out of reach I manage to plant a kiss of my own under his chin, and I can practically hear the quiet delight blooming in the grin he brushes down the side of my face in return. My hands reach out in the dark, and when I find the cloth in his rough, damp hands, he relinquishes it as usual, running his thumbs over the back of my hands.

With the same care he showed me, I clean up the mess on his body. It's fortunate I start with his hands, leaving them free to caress me to his contentedness. I feel his touch on my upper arm and side as I wipe downward, my other hand trailing after the cloth. It's impossible to not notice the scar tissue he has amassed over the years, or how he briefly tenses when my fingertips ghost over them.

"I like your scars, Muriel", I assure him, his stance relaxing as I talk. "They make me feel safe."

"... But they're the result of violence...?"

I wipe off the last traces, letting him envelop me from the back while I rinse the cloth and hang it to dry. He loosens his hold briefly when I turn to face him, placing my hands on the lighter scars on his chest.

"I know you don't like them, because they're yet another thing for strangers to misjudge you for. But you suffered these injuries because you were protecting people you care about. As for _these_..."

My fingertips retrace their path on his body, finding the older, deeper scars from his arena days. These ones always make me a little sad; they must've hurt during the healing process, since he didn't even tell Asra about them at the time.

"It's not like you were purposely looking for a fight; Lucio lied to you, tricking you into fighting for him."

I don't dwell on these thoughts for too long, tilting my face towards him in the dark, and reaching up to stroke the scar on his scruffy cheek instead.

"Muriel, you can't undo the past, but you can try to be a better person today than you were yesterday, and you've done exactly that. I've seen you grow from a closed off recluse, into a dependable man people trust to provide protection."

Muriel remains silent, but he pulls me a little closer to him. My other hand reaches up as well, and I put both arms around his neck, laying my head on his chest after he shuffles close enough for me to do so.

"Which is why I feel safe with you. Because I can trust that, no matter what, you will protect me."

His heart beats faster in his chest as he tightens the embrace and lifts me up, pressing his face in my neck as I wrap my legs around him. I don't need to hear the mumbled words to know what he's already been saying with his actions, ever since I stopped forgetting his existence.

With my own face buried in his neck I breathe him in, the ever-present myrrh on his skin always the first I notice. I've come to associate it with him long before the arcana's magic faded, even if I always forgot why I felt so sad despite Asra being there. It's familiar presence meant safety and protection, even when I didn't understand why at the time. But I do now.

He hugs me tighter, heating up my skin with his blushing as I confess how much his presence during these past years means to me.

"You were never afraid of me or Inanna. And even though you didn't remember me back then, you were always kind and welcoming to us."

He inhales deeply, his heartbeat calming down.

" _You_ made me feel wanted. You made me feel _loved_. I'm sorry I had to say goodbye to you over and over. I'm sorry it took so long for me to realise no matter which path I'd take, I was just walking myself back to you again."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Yes, I was sad and confused once you left, but I also got to meet you over and over, and plant a seed of love for you each time."

Muriel's smile tickles and makes me giggle, before he peels himself out of my neck. He kisses my forehead, and lightly bumps his against it. We stay like this for a moment, until a tiny yawn escapes with my next breath, and makes him yawn as well. That's the cue for him to slowly shuffle us back towards our sleeping spot, carrying me with ease. 

He lays me down on the furs and makes to lie next to me, but I pull him closer, until his head's on my chest. We move around a little, finding a comfortable position for both of us, with his arms more or less wrapped around me, the same way my own wrap around him. And with his familiar weight on top of me, I feel him melt into sleep while I comb through his hair and stroke his face, telling him in a soft, quiet whisper of every reason why I love him so, so much. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope it was good! It's been a while since I last slapped something here, but I've been really busy in meatspace. Badly wish I had more free time to write, but I don't make enough to take time off I'm afraid. (Would anyone be interested in getting early access to my fanfic drafts? 🤔 I sometimes post sneakpeeks on [tumblr](vesuviasfastestcourier.tumblr.com/).)
> 
> I encourage all yelling at or with me about this fic! I swear I don't mind short comments or even just an emoji comment; all comments are loved! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ


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